Sorry to hear about your wife, but glad that she is doing better. You have some great shots and I'm envious of your trip. When I lived in Germany (in the '80's), I was scheduled to take a photo safari to Kenya, but unfortunately the trip was cancelled. Just curious, but how do you handle the K-5 with the wrist grip when you need to use the K-7? I'm guessing that you put it down (or maybe not), but I would think that would be difficult in the vehicle.

Quadna71: The Lions amazed me at how unbothered they were by our presence. We were told that to the animals our Safari vehicles appeared to be large moving rocks. They see them all the time and pretty much ignore them.

Jehan: Thanks, the 150-500 is a great lens with a nice range. Best it is quiet and is not scaring birds away before I can photograph them.

Mtman: Thanks, my wife is on the way to recovery. More pictures will follow!

Mtngal: Don't think for a minute that we didn't think she had dread disease #37. It was a scare but all behind us now. It seem like one of us gets something on every trip. Part of the adventure!

Penolta: Both the ER Dr. and the Hospitalist Dr. also thought it strange for symptoms to appear so late. She was 1 day from taking here last Malaria pill. Strange just happens! Better it happened here than in Africa. Perhaps the Maasai have it figured out right. They have a bush whose leaves they rub on their body to keep the mosquitoes from biting them.

Keithw: Thanks more are coming!

Hnikesch: Thanks for your well wishes. Glad you enjoyed the teasers.

Pboerger: Thank for the good wishes. She broke out with hives and rash and was quite uncomfortable. Two shots (4 hrs. apart) with an Epi pen, Benidryl and steroids quieted things down fast.

Tsquare: There was room enough in the Land Cruiser (I sat in the back seat) to put my K-5 & 150-500 down on top of my camera bag. I had to pick it up when the vehicle was set to move again. We would say Sawa sawa which in swahili meant Okay, and he would then drive on.

Glad your wife is on the mend. Phenomenal pictures. I love that one of the Zebra's slaking their thirst...clarity is spot on....love the composition. Would make a great addition at 11 X 14 in the LR or rec room.

Pleased to hear that your wife is on the mend. I lived for 5 years in Africa and gave up on the anti-malarials after a year, as did most people I was working with. Horrible stuff and reactions can be almost worse than Malaria itself.
I paid for it a couple of years later with a bout of Malaria. Knocks the stuffing out of you but we had a very good medical team nearby.

Those are excellent teasers and I am really looking forward to seeing lots of threads on your escapade. Which lens did you find the most useful and what settings did you find yourself shooting with most of the time ?

As others above have already said ... excellent shots, the sort of thing we'd all like to come home with

As to not getting out of the vehicle > I suppose you've heard of the woman who did get out of a vehicle, walked up to a lioness & cubs, picked up a cub to better arrange the composition, but she failed to make it back to her camera in the car [for some funny reason]. Her case is one of many documented by the "Darwin Awards" for people whose stupidity has taken themselves out of the gene pool.

Lesmore 49: I fully intend to frame and hang it. Adorama is having a sale now on 11x14's for $2.50 each and $3.00 for metallic. .50 less if ordering 10.

Phil: Thanks for your well wishes for my wife, she is now well on the mend. Glad you enjoyed the shots.

Kevin: Yes I had some GI issues with the Malaron as well. The Maasai tell me they use a herbal approach (a shrub that they rub on their body each day) that they say keeps them Malaria free.

The 150-500mm was by far the most used lens that being said there were many situation where the wildlife was to close for the 150mm and that is when the K-7 with 18-250mm sprang to life.

I haven't had a chance to assess what f/stop shutter speed combo was used the most. Things happened so fast that little time was available for playing with settings. I did use TAV mode some but most of the time I was in TV mode and tried to keep the shutter speed high. I have a nasty habit of inadvertently moving the shutter wheel when turning the camera on and off (it's an age related disorder).

Ozie_Traveller: Most of the time Phil, people that stupid get into the Gene pool and don't even know how to swim. Serves them right! LOL

Lou - So glad to hear you are back safe, and that your wife is recovering. Will pray for her continued, rapid & complete recovery. Thanks for taking the time to share these great photos - each a gem, but that first especially amazing!

Phil - Your lion story reminds me of many Black Bear stories from our region - but none quite so foolish (or so serious an ending...)